List the last 10 things you saw at the theatre in order:
1. City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse)
2. Treasure Island (National; Olivier)
3. JOHN (National; Lyttelton)
4. The Possible Impossible House (Barbican)
5. Here Lies Love (National; Dorfman)
6. Behind the Beautiful Forevers (National; Olivier)
7. Hope (Royal Court)
8. Pomona (Orange Tree)
9. State Red (Hampstead Theatre)
10. Dick Whittington and his Cat (Lyric Hammersmith)
Oh gosh, they were all excellent! I think my favourite was probably Rebecca Trehearn for her fantastic work throughout, but additional shout-outs must go to Rosalie Craig, who does simply the most astonishing things with her voice, and the pairing of Hadley Fraser and Tam Mutu, who are each great in their own right but once allowed to interact with each other directly become something almost stratospheric.
Why did you go to see number two (Treasure Island)?
On a whim, really. I had an evening with no theatre booked, and there was a cheap ticket available, so I snapped it up. Then they announced the casting and I was well pleased, but had already booked long before.
Can you remember a line/lyric from number three (JOHN) that you liked?
Nah. It's difficult to focus on dialogue while you're wondering if it's even possible for the human body to MOVE like that. It's probably for the best I can't remember any specific lines anyway, it would almost certainly have been something from the poo interlude, because - as you may or may not have already realised - I AM the lowest common denominator.
What would you give number four (The Possible Impossible House) out of ten?
Hmmm. 6? It was charming and full of delightful ideas but there just wasn't that little certain something that a show needs to make it go zing.
Was there someone hot in number five (Here Lies Love)?
Probably. I was, thank the lord, quite far away from the staging areas and often distracted by the costumes, so I'm afraid I can't be specific.
What was number six (Behind the Beautiful Forevers) about?
I think it was about far too many things for me to be able to boil them down to a pithy little sentence. It also didn't help that the focus kept readjusting itself so every time I thought "ah, it's about THIS", it would suddenly turn around and be about something else instead.
Who was your favourite actor in number seven (Hope)?
I really liked Christine Entwisle in this one. Of all the actors in all the world, she's the one I can most easily believe would be able to get a million people to sign an online petition through the sheer force of her will.
What was your favourite bit in number eight (Pomona)?
I've given it a lot of thought but I just don't have a favourite part. However I do have a favourite aspect, so I'm cheating the question slightly (I've done it this way before) in the name of having something to actually say. My favourite aspect of this play is that my people are writing plays, and completing them, and having them staged in the professional arena. I come from a geeky background and there's something unbearably satisfying about seeing things like tabletop RPGs and Cthulhu and even Pokemon on the stage. I felt much the same way about Teh Internet is Serious Business - subculture has become culture, and it's oddly thrilling.
Would you see number nine (State Red) again?
Oh, certainly not. I only booked in the first place 'cos I needed to tick off my final History Boy, and while some very important points were made, the play itself wasn't engaging enough to warrant a revisit, and I'm not entirely sure about the ending either, but then I suppose that was part of the point.
What was the worst thing about number ten (Dick Whittington and his Cat)?
Aw man, what a terrible show to ask this question about! The only thing that was a little problematic for me was that I spent most of the first half laughing so hard that I missed several opportunities to bellow "DICK!" at the top of my lungs because I was too busy trying not to vomit in my lap. I laughed a LOT.
Which was best?
I loved Dick Whittington a LOT. In case you hadn't worked it out. City of Angels was tremendous too.
Which was worst?
I suppose JOHN and The Possible Impossible House didn't quite achieve what you might expect from a great show.
Did any make you cry?
I definitely cried with laughter at Dick Whittington. But I didn't ACTUALLY cry at any of these.
Did any make you laugh?
City of Angels, Treasure Island, and another one. You know which.
Which roles would you like to play in any of them?
I could definitely go for Donna/Oolie in City of Angels.
Which one did you have best seats for?
I managed to snag quite a nice second row stalls seat for Treasure Island. Congratulations, self!
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